What term describes a tear of the medial meniscus of the knee?

• A. Calcaneus
• B. Bucket Handle Tear
• C. Calf Atrophy
• D. Cardiovascular

Answer: (B)

The key idea is a tear pattern of the knee’s meniscus. A bucket-handle tear is a specific type where a longitudinal tear creates a large inner fragment that can flip into the joint space, forming a “bucket handle” shape. This is most commonly described in the medial meniscus and often leads to mechanical symptoms like locking or catching in the knee.

On imaging or during arthroscopy, you’d see the torn fragment displaced into the joint, which is why this term is used for this injury. It’s distinct from the other options: the calcaneus is the heel bone, calf atrophy describes muscle wasting, and cardiovascular refers to heart and blood vessels—none of which describe a meniscal tear.